IPSF APRO Policy Writing: Diabetes 2019-20

18.03.2020

Policy Writing: Diabetes

 

The International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) is a non-profit organisation that strives for public health promotion and education. IPSF is represented by over 500,000 pharmaceutical students and recent graduates in over 90 countries worldwide. The IPSF Asia Pacific Regional Office (IPSF APRO) is a functional extension of the IPSF Executive and it represents approximately 55,000 members from 18 countries in the Asia Pacific Region. IPSF APRO works collaboratively with its 28 Member Associations to raise awareness of a wide range of health topics, one of which is Diabetes

 

One out of eleven adults suffer from diabetes with half of them being untreated, 1,2 60% of diabetics in the world are living in Asia .1,2Diabetes is an expensive disease to treat that 10% of the Global Health Expenditure is spent on diabetes treatment (USD 760 billion). 2Reports have stated that in Pacific countries, diabetes care has taken up 20% of the government’s annual health expenditure, much higher than the

world’s average of 10% .2,3

 

It is a pharmacist’s role to help fight diabetes. Pharmacists’ should be specialists regarding all medications for diabetes and should provide the right information and guidance to all patients who seek help. As healthcare professionals, it is our responsibility to spread awareness concerning diabetes to both diabetics and healthy people. It is our duty to monitor patients for diabetes by doing regular glucose checks and to help patients control their condition by reminding them how to properly use their medications and to remind them to take these medications on time. Diabetics need help with treatment and support while non-diabetics still need to keep a healthy lifestyle.

 

IPSF APRO has recently made an article writing competition for World Diabetes Day on the role of pharmacists in overcoming this issue which helps promote diabetes awareness within pharmacists and IPSF APRO members. IPSF APRO has shared some information emphasizing the danger of diabetes and some methods on how to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. One way to overcome diabetes is by educating people on what diabetes is and how to recognize it. Simply knowing what diabetes is can help people control it. Recognizing diabetic symptoms will remind diabetics or people at risk of diabetes to maintain a healthy living and seek professional help before the disease progresses. Part of IPSF’s effort to promote a healthy and active lifestyle to fight diabetes is by making an Instagram challenge where users can post screenshots of their daily steps to motivate others and promote a healthy lifestyle.

 

IPSF APRO encourages everyone to learn more about diabetes and help support each other to prevent and control diabetes. We hope to be able to make webinars or online workshops to teach people in developing countries and countries in which diabetes is a major problem. The purpose of this education would be to educate them on how to count their sugar intake and energy output to help them eat balanced meals. We hope people can band together to help diabetics in their community to fight this disease.

 

References:

 

1. Facts and Figures | Asian Diabetes Prevention Initiative [Internet]. Asiandiabetesprevention.org. 2013 [cited 2020 Feb 20]. Available from: https://asiandiabetesprevention.org/what-is-diabetes/facts-and- figures

 

2. International Diabetes Federation - Home [Internet]. Idf.org. 2020 [cited 2020 Feb 20]. Available from: https://idf.org/

 

3. Diabetes remains major health challenge in the Pacific - Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre [Internet]. Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre. 2016 [cited 2020 Mar 9]. Available from: https://devpolicy.org/diabetes-remains-major-health-challenge-pacific-20161026/

 

Policy Writing Written by:

IPSF APRO Regional Secretary Subcommittee

Mr. Spoudy Lucianus

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Policy Writing Reviewed by: IPSF APRO Secretary

Ms. Wendy Yu-Wun Jian

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